Architect's Rose Parade design dream comes true

Mission Viejo's own Richard Burrow proudly shows off Burbank's Rose Parade float, which he designed, in Burbank on Sunday. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Richard Burrow stands on a ladder to adjust the reins of the sea horse, which sits at the front of Burbank's Rose Parade float, which he designed, in Burbank on Sunday. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Richard Burrow, right, helps volunteers in Burbank on Sunday attach sections of Burbank's Rose Parade float, which he designed. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Richard Burrow, right, helps float builder Erik Anderson in Burbank on Sunday carry a crown to be put on an octopus' head on Burbank's Rose Parade float. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Standing with his wife, Robin, and his son Austin, Richard Burrow points as volunteers bring out Burbank's Rose Parade float, which he designed, to be judged. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Richard Burrow, right, and float builder Erik Anderson admire a tortoise that is part of Burbank's Rose Parade float, which Burrow designed, in Burbank on Sunday. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Mission Viejo's own Richard Burrow proudly shows off Burbank's Rose Parade float, which he designed, in Burbank on Sunday. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

The Burbank Tournament of Roses Association’s website has a page dedicated to the process from the point Richard Burrow submitted the original design to where it is now. The page also congratulates him for being picked. See the page by visiting burbankrosefloat.com/history/2013/2013float.html.

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses airs on local television channels on New Year’s Day.

MISSION VIEJO – Richard Burrow has always had a creative side. It's a side that let him down many times, but he never gave up on it.

Almost 30 years later, his determination is paying off.

On New Year's Day, a Rose Parade float based on his design of a girl piloting a submarine on a journey undersea, built for the Burbank Tournament of Roses Association, will glide down the streets of Pasadena.

The theme of the 2013 Pasadena Tournament of Roses is "Oh the Places You'll Go!" based on Dr. Seuss' book.

In 1983, while a student at Cal Poly Pomona, Burrow submitted a Rose Parade float design to the school's Rose Float club, which works with a group from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to design and built a Rose Parade float every year.

Though Burrow was a member of the club, his design was turned down.

He moved on, built a family and a career as an architect, but kept watching the Tournament of Roses every first day of each year, he said.

His job as an architect gave him some room for creativity. Burrow, 53, said he once entered a competition to design a Christmas card for his company and his sketch won the judges' hearts.

His duty as a father, too, led him to use his imagination. He designed his family's baby announcements, he said.

But as the years went by and as the economy slowed down, he longed for a project to heighten his imagination.

"I like to create things," Burrow said. "And lately, I haven't had that many original design opportunities ... and I've been praying to God to give me a design opportunity to do something. I missed that creative part."

Burrow submitted three designs to Cal Poly Pomona in 2011 for the 2012 Rose Parade. Once again, he was turned down.

"I was disappointed, but I thought, 'I will try again,'" Burrow said. "I think that some of the designs that I had come up with were good. I felt confident that they were good."

This year, he submitted his design to the Burbank Tournament of Roses Association, which is one of the few parade participants that solicit designs from the public and build their own floats, he said. He also submitted two other designs to South Pasadena and Sierra Madre, he said.

Burrow learned in February that his design won preliminary approval by the Burbank association.

"It was really shocking and I was very excited and I couldn't wait to tell my wife and family about it," Burrow said.

But to actually get the gig – pay is two free tickets to the Rose Parade – the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association would have to make the final approval.

He got that news in March and so began the process of perfecting the details with the Burbank association's design committee.

Burrow has been driving to Burbank a lot as the float has been getting built and as his sketch has been coming to life. On Friday, during the decoration process, he took a stab at gluing mushrooms onto a turtle on the float and jokingly said that it wasn't his strongest suit.

"I like the design much more than gluing things down on a float," Burrow said.

Burrow said he's impressed with how well the Burbank association has brought his design to life.

"All the different characters are very well-articulated," he said.

On Sunday morning, Burrow was getting ready to head back to Burbank to be there while his float was getting judged.

And on New Year's Day, it all comes to a head. He will be at the Rose Parade with his wife, Robin, and sons, Alex, 24, and Austin, 21. His brother-in-law and wife are coming from Georgia to go to the Rose Parade for their first time, he said.

And what is he hoping for when the float he designed makes its debut?

"I'm hoping that people will laugh and smile, and, you know, enjoy it, because it's supposed to be fun," Burrow said. "It'll make me feel happy. It'll make me feel like I was successful."

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